Bowen Therapy, Vancouver
What is Bowen Therapy?
Bowen therapy is a unique form of body work that utilizes the connection between the muscles and the nervous system to provide relief to a wide range of conditions. Each move of a Bowen treatment challenges a muscle at the site where the nervous system innervates. There is a dynamic relationship between these two systems that allows us to move and hold positions without a great deal of effort and conscious thought. This is done by a series of communications between the muscles and the brain transferred by the nerves connecting the two. If we want to bend our arm we consciously bend it but once moved no longer think about keeping it bent. This is because the nerves innervating each muscle involved send a message to the brain that we have shortened some muscles and lengthened others. The brain understands these messages and resets the length of each muscle to hold that position. When a move is made in a Bowen treatment, the muscle is challenged without changing the length of the muscle. This sends a “default” message to the brain which essentially tells the brain to reset the muscle into its resting position. The outcome is to relax a tight or contracted muscle or to shorten a stretched muscle. When this is done throughout the entire muscular system, the effect it to reset the entire system to it’s relaxed and resting state. The end effect: relief from pain.
What conditions are treated by Bowen Therapy?
- Acute and chronic pain
- Low back pain
- Head ache
- Shoulder pain
- Sciatic pain
- Frozen shoulder
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Golfer’s and tennis elbow
- Respiratory conditions such as asthma
- Digestive conditions such as constipation and diarrhea
- Any pain caused by muscle tension including hamstring, calf,
What can I expect from a treatment?
A given treatment lasts anywhere from 15 minutes an hour. During the treatment the patient is on a treatment table with a draped blanket and is encouraged to do nothing more than deep focused breathing. The practitioner will perform a series of moves and then leave the room for several minutes to allow the message to transfer from the muscles to the brain before continuing with the next move. One of the unique aspects of Bowen therapy is that it typically takes between three to five treatments to provide lasting relief for a given condition. Between 85 – 90% of people respond favourably to Bowen therapy.
Watch Dr. Rootes video on Bowen therapy.
Welcome to Vancouver’s newest health and wellness blog: Be Healthy Vancouver.
You can book an appointment with Dr. Rootes either by phone or email.
Dr. Rootes is the medical expert on Vancouver’s Urban Rush.